After we'd been a couple for a few weeks, we'd driven to my parents' farm. Between the football talk, the history talk and the sampling of the hard cider until the wee small hours, Jensen and my dad became fast friends. I sensed my parents' relief in Jensen's dealings with Calder and his open affection for both of us. I'd had to laugh-and blush-when after too many cups of apple wine my mother asked if Jensen's rocket rocked my world. But I'd known she'd worried about me acting too cynical about love and relationships because of my early responsibilities as a single parent. She wasn't impressed by Jensen's looks, charm, fame or money. Seeing me happy with him, and him happy with me-and Calder too . . . that impressed her.
Calder and I had met both of Jensen's brothers and their wives. Since Trinity taught at camp and Walker helped out building theater sets, Calder was comfortable with them. The fact that they had a swimming pool earned them bonus points. It'd taken him a couple of times to warm up to Brady and Lennox. Brady's love of Harry Potter had won him over, as had Lennox's new kitty, Chaos.
Jensen's sister, Annika, and her husband, Axl, were spending a month in Sweden, so they weren't around for the family gatherings. Neither were Jensen's parents, as they too were off traveling the world. I'd heard so much about Jensen's mother that the woman scared me. I had no idea how she'd take the news of her baby being shacked up with a single mother and her kid.
Friday afternoon I arrived at camp fifteen minutes before class ended. I hadn't seen Jensen's car outside, but I stopped into the office anyway.
Astrid was at her desk, conversing with a blond woman with her back to me.
Not wanting to interrupt, I started to back away.
But Astrid saw me and said, "Rowan. Wait."
I froze in the doorway when the blond woman turned around and I realized she was Jensen's mother.
Same blue eyes. Same blond hair. Same stunning bone structure.
"Mrs. Lund has been waiting for you," Astrid said.
Oh shit.
She unfolded from the chair, as graceful as a cat.
Her clothes whispered money as she started toward me. She wore a sleeveless silk shell the color of ripe peaches, the front embellished with beads and rhinestones. A sheer chiffon gold-toned blouse covered her arms and skimmed her hips, drawing attention to her trim waist. A band of satin hugged her hips, the shimmery mint-green fabric flowing into palazzo pants that ended above her ankles. Gold leather gladiator sandals completed the ensemble, making her look every inch the imperial Valkyrie-dressed like a goddess but the fancy wrapping didn't mask the warrior beneath.
Her smirk-identical to Jensen's-indicated her awareness of the imposing image she presented. Gold bangles rattled on her wrist as she offered me her hand. "I am Selka Lund. Jensen's mother."
I took her hand. "I'm Rowan Michaels. Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Lund."
"Come. Let's walk."
And I found myself being ushered out of the office, the Valkyrie still gripping my hand as she smoothly linked her arm through mine and bent me to her will.
Of course no one was in the hallway as she herded me out the side door to the playground.
Jensen had installed a picnic table so the staff could sit in the shade during lunch and keep an eye on the playground.
She sat on the bench and patted the spot next to her. "Sit. We shall chat."
"I'll stand, thanks."
She lifted one dark blond brow. "You are feisty? Or just contrary?"
"Both. It's harder for you to put me in a headlock if I'm standing across from you."
"Headlock." Her lip curled slightly. "I have no UPC moves."
UPC? What the hell? "You mean . . . UFC?"
"Yah. Whatever. I am harmless."
I laughed. "I doubt that."
"My niece Dallas tells good things of you."
"You came to judge me for yourself?"
She shrugged a slim shoulder. "I don't trust her aura voodoo stuff."
Did she mean woo-woo stuff? I'd corrected her once already, so I kept my mouth shut.
"What do you think of this camp Jensen created?"
"I'm thrilled my son gets to attend, and I'm grateful to LCCO for stepping in and making the camp even better than it was before."
"All Jensen's ideas. He is smart. Big brain in that big body."
I was not about to discuss Jensen's amazing body that I knew every inch of with his mother. "But LCCO implemented the ideas. As you know, Jensen is uncomfortable taking full credit."
"And you know my son so well? After how long? Two and one half months?"
There it was. "I'm guessing you're here to ‘chat' about my relationship with him."